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Serbia: Attack on LGBT activists at the headquarters of Women in Black

Source:

WIB

The peace group Women in Black announced today that last night around 1:30 am, two young men invaded the organization's headquarters and with a hammer attacked men and women activists in the kitchen. This incident took place just before the holding of the Pride Parade in Belgrade, which indicates that homophobia is the motive of the attackers, a statement declared. "That it was not a matter of a random incident was proven by the young men entering the room loudly calling for 'faggots' among those present, and looking for a fight," the Women in Black statement added.

"A politically motivated attack on the women and men activists of Woman in Black happened because we clearly and unequivocally support the rights of LGBT people and the organization of the Pride Parade, just as political engagement of Woman in Black also includes a clear condemnation of the crimes committed in our name," they said in the statement.

This organization demands that the responsible institutions of Serbia as soon as possible find the perpetrators and punish the attackers, stating that it "showed that the state really has the political will to create a democratic state and respects the values of human rights and freedoms."

BELGRADE -- An NGO Zene u crnom (Women in Black) reported that last night two young men broke into their premises and attacked their activists with a hammer.

"The fact these young men entered the premises looking for “queers” among the people present there, wanting to initiate a fight, shows this was no random incident", they stated.

Women in Black assessed that the motives for last night’s attack were political views and homophobia, and demanded from the competent state authorities to find the perpetrators as soon as possible.

"This politically motivated attack against Women in Black activists happened because we clearly and unequivocally support the rights of LGBT people and the organization of the Pride Parade, in addition to our political involvement that condems the war crimes committed in our name", reads the statement of the Women in Black.

Paramedics told Beta news agency that a woman was injured in the attack, suffering an eyelid cut and nose injuries, and that she was immediately taken to the Emergency ward.

There was no response from the police department regarding the incident.